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Saturday, 30 June 2012

This post will act as a repository of experiments, WIP and ideas surrounding tower typologies.

Shown below are some investigations around tall building types.

Taiwan Tower Competition_Experiments_2010

China Office Tower_2010

I recently spent a short amount of time drafting this tower at work. A conventional office tower recalling Renzo Pianos Aurora place tower in Sydney. The challenge was to define the geometry setout for the building which has a curved facade based on a section of a torus. Using grasshopper software the model was setup using a low number of defining curves which generated surfaces and resulting geometry. Tweaks to these curves propogated changes through the model.

Computational Media_Process Sketches

I undertook a computational media course in the final year of my architecture degree. Below are some process sketches done using scripting and parametric techniques. The computer allows for the control and integration of large data sets, allowing the designer to work with complex systems.

Branching System_Processing software_2009

Branching System_Processing software_2009

Surface topology_Rhino and Grasshopper software_2009

Surface topology_Rhino and Grasshopper software_2009

Surface topology_Rhino and Grasshopper software_2009

Surface topology_Rhino and Grasshopper software_2009

Surface topology_Rhino and Grasshopper software_2009

Surface topology_Rhino and Grasshopper software_2009

Surface topology_Rhino and Grasshopper software_2009

Technicart collaborator Gerrie Lykourezos recentlyproduced the tower concepts shown below for his Masters degree at UTS. The project examines possibilities for the adaptation of Caracas’ modernist super blocks which contrast sharply with the favellas which surround them. His proposal strips the block back to its superstructure and allows the locals to build into it using their exisiting techniques and seemingly organic approach to building.

The result eliminates the homogeneity of the modern tower and injects it with exciting spatial relationships and possibilities. Individual expression is favored over the creation of a singular sculptural presence, allowing the locals systems to help determine the built outcome.

Technicart assists architects and engineers through the application of high end digital modeling technologies. Below are some recent examples of projects utilising paramametric modeling techniques as generative design tools. Increasingly these tools are used in conjunction with 3D rendering and 3D animation techniques to explore new spatial possibilities. The parametric model allows designers to explore complex geometric relationships assessing the design with 3d renderings and rapid prototyping. Technicart has been involved with deploying these technologies on large scale international projects.

Our work for Cox on the Marina Bay waterfront has recently been completed. One component was a large sculptural pipe which sprays a fine mist to cool passing pedestrians. The design was modeled and rationalised using Grasshopper for Rhino software. The parametric software allowed us to define minimum arc curvatures, column spacing and angles and overall tube length. Once these were established the curve was continuously tweaked until Phillip Cox was satisfied with the aesthetic result. The digital data was used by manufacturers in Singapore to bend the stainless steel tube into a complex free form sculpture.

This experimental project was undertaken under the supervision of Ben Hewitt at the University of Technology Sydney. The studio centered on the use of organisational diagrams as a generator of architectural form. The theories and work of Ben Van Berkel and UN Studio were used as an underpinning in this project.

The building is a cultural landmark incorporating performance spaces, gallery space, creative workshops, offices and leisure facilities. It is structured around a parametric looping circulation path which circumnavigates the buildings interior spaces, bringing people up and through the building. Located at King Street Wharf, adjacent to the Barangaroo development the project aimed to diversify the precincts program and appeal by adding a culturally significant and iconic development.

The conceptual diagrams were generated using parametric modeling techniques which allowed the setout of the complex form and paths. 3d renderings were used throughout the process to access the projects aesthetic implications.

04_03_2011 I have moved from Cox architects and have had to leave this exciting project behind. My final work on this involved design development on the roof. Our structural system changed from the portal like truss frame to a triangulated grid frame with smaller bracing trusses. There is much work to be done on this project and I look forward to seeing the updates from my old colleges at Cox. Posted below are some screen shots showing the progress of the roof. All pictures are copyright Cox architects.

Technicart was recently involved in the successful Cox Architects competition bid for the Kaohsiung exhibition and conference center in Taiwan. Our digital design and production techniques were utilised throughout the competition process, producing digital documentation for design, documentation, rendering and rapid prototyping. The output included 2D drawings, particularly for elevations and sections, 3D wire frames in consultation with engineers, presentation 3D renders (with Peter Ung) and Rapid Prototype data for the physical model.

The successful scheme is currently entering design development where the integration of the 3D design data into a BIM pipeline will be chartered at this website.

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

One architecture student’s dream is soon to become a reality as his graduation project was approved for construction. 23-year-old Suhail Mohammen Suleiman of ALHOSN University has just had his concept for a sustainable mosque with adjoining Islamic centre approved by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments in Abu Dhabi.

The contemporary concept steps away from what many consider to be traditional mosque design, where spiralling minarets and arching domes play a major part, replacing these with modern references such as a bulbous main volume with two soaring spires.

Dr. Naima Benkari, an assistant professor who oversaw Suleiman’s work, explains: “It is absolutely not a traditional mosque. It is a quite modern, organic kind of mosque. To have a mosque, you do not need that much. You need a clean flat area and a pole, column or sign that shows where Mecca is.”

Sustainability also features heavily in the approved design. The glass that is so often opted for in major UAE schemes has been replaced by Corian from manufacturer Du Pont. This material is a translucent polymer that enables natural light to seep through like glass but stops heat getting in, reducing the mosque’s dependency on energy-heavy air conditioning.

Also included in the design are green roofs and an open-air courtyard space with a fabric canopy, providing much-needed shading. As a result, the project has been awarded a Five Pearl Rating under ‘Estidama’, a sustainability framework aligned with Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030 Development Plan.

Professor Abdul Rahim Sabouni, Vice Chancellor and CEO of ALHOSN University, commented: “Suhail was inspired by the Islamic doctrines of ‘Shahada’, the declaration of belief, and ‘Tawheed’, monotheism to come up with a unique design that reflects the bright future of Islamic architecture in the UAE. ALHOSN University is very proud of him and extends its full support for the transformation of his project from the drawing board to reality.”

Sunday, 24 June 2012

Within an area of villas in south hakone of shizuoka, japan, the 'crescent house' by japanese practice shigeru ban architectsis named after its arcing C-shaped plan. lifted on pilotis, the first floor living spaces are entered through a glass-enclosed staircase at ground level which rises into the underside of the structure. a deep curved cross-section forming the floor, wall and ceiling planes is sealed with sliding glass doors, accentuating the northern vistas as the primary attention of dwellers. the configuration frames views to mt. fuji in the distance while blocking away the presence of neighboring residences to the east, west or south.Two bedrooms placed at opposing ends are separated from the combined living, dining and kitchen with partitions to create volumes for the utility functions. the depth of the dwelling is at its greatest in the living room, supporting the cantilevered roof's longest spanwith a fireplace and chimney instead of a column.